It’s impossible to pinpoint the first occurrence of transgender people in history, as like almost everything else, that information has been lost in time. Just by that simple fact alone it’s safe to say this: trans people have existed for a very long time. Evidence that has been uncovered, point towards the existence of trans people among the oldest civilisations on earth, and although the terminology and procedures involved would have been vastly different to what we know today it’s clear that they would have played an influential role in many parts of the world.
This section contains a series of examples of either transgender or gender non-conforming people, recorded throughout history.
Two Spirit People Of Indigenous North America
Two Spirit refers to a term used by many Indigenous North American cultures to describe individuals embodying both masculine and feminine qualities. They often held unique and respected roles within their communities, such as healers, mediators, or spiritual leaders.
From Paul Gauguin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Māhū are traditional Hawaiian individuals who embrace both masculine and feminine qualities. In Hawaiian culture, they have historically played important roles in activities like hula dancing and were respected for their spiritual insights.
From By Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Galli were priests in ancient Greco-Roman societies who served the goddess Cybele. They were often castrated and adopted feminine attire, demonstrating a unique intersection of religious devotion and gender expression.
From Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hijra is a term used in South Asia to describe a diverse group of people, including transgender individuals, eunuchs, and intersex people. Historically, Hijra have held distinct social and religious roles, such as performing blessings at weddings and childbirth.
From Daniel Voshart, CC BY 3.0, via World History
Elagabalus, also known as Heliogabalus, was a Roman emperor in the 3rd century. She is noted for challenging traditional gender norms, dressing in women's clothing and marrying multiple men. During her lifetime she offered large sums of money to any physician capable of offering what we now appears comparable to gender affirming surgery, but was unsuccessful. Although she was labelled as insane by the prevailing powers in her lifetime, historical evidence suggests that she was in fact simply, a transgender woman.
Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy (Coccinelle, 1931 - 2006)
Jacqueline Dufresnoy, known as Coccinelle, was a French transgender woman and a pioneering figure in the transgender rights movement. She gained recognition in the 1950s and was a prominent advocate for transgender rights in France.
From
Sharyn Davies, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr
Waria is a portmanteau in Indonesian for "wanita" (woman) and "pria" (man). It refers to transgender women in Indonesia who often hold unique social roles, including participation in traditional ceremonies and the arts.
From Uswaswa15, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Bugis people of Sulawesi, Indonesia, have historically recognized five genders, including a category for individuals displaying a combination of male and female traits. These individuals, known as "bissu," have played important spiritual and cultural roles.
From Unknown Author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Eleanor Rykener was a transgender woman in 14th-century England. She was documented in legal records for her involvement in sex work and faced legal consequences due to her gender identity and profession.
From
Newcastle Libraries, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Thomas Hall was an individual born female in 17th-century England who lived much of his life as a man. His life challenges traditional gender norms and offers historical insight into diverse gender identities.
From Wellcome Library, London, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Magnus Hirschfeld was a German physician and sexologist in the early 20th century. He co-founded the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, one of the first LGBTQ+ rights organizations. Hirschfeld advocated for the rights of sexual minorities and conducted pioneering research on gender and sexuality.
From Unknown Author, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lili Elbe was a Danish transgender woman and one of the earliest individuals known to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Her life and experiences were depicted in the novel "The Danish Girl" and later adapted into a film.
Alan L. Hart was an American physician and radiologist in the early 20th century. He was one of the first documented individuals to undergo gender confirmation surgery.
Dora Richter was a German transgender woman and one of the first individuals to undergo gender confirmation surgery in the early 20th century. Her life highlights the challenges and advancements in transgender healthcare during that era.
Karl M. Baer, a German intersex person, was a pioneering advocate for intersex rights. Baer's activism contributed to raising awareness about the rights and dignity of intersex individuals.
From TradingCardsNPS, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Albert Cashier, born Jennie Hodgers, was an Irish-born transgender man who served as a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Fighting over 40 battles with his regiment, after the state threatened to waive his veteran's pension when a medical procedure led to the discovery of his birth sex, his brothers in arms stood together with him in solidarity and testified in his favour. Albert continued to receive support until he passed away in 1915.
Lucy Hicks Anderson was an African American transgender woman in the early 20th century. She was arrested and convicted of perjury when the government claimed she lied about her sex in her marriage license, ultimately going on to live the rest of her life in a different state with her husband once she was released from prison.
Billy Tipton was an American jazz musician and bandleader who, at the time of his death, was revealed to be a transgender man. His life and career shed light on the challenges faced by transgender individuals in pursuing their passions.
Jennie June, born in the 19th century, was an American transgender woman who wrote about her experiences and challenges in her autobiography. She played a role in early transgender visibility and activism.
James Barry was a British military surgeon in the 19th century, living as a trans man for his whole adult life. Although there's little record about his life outside of his career, during his time in the military he pushed actively to improve the lives of enslaved people, those with mental health conditions and those living in leper colonies, among other things.
From Bambi Lobdell, Public Domain, via The Washington Post
Joseph Lobdell, born in the 19th century, was an American transgender man who faced legal and societal challenges due to his gender identity. His life is a testament to the resilience of transgender individuals throughout history.
From The Days’ Doings, New York, August 12, 1876, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frances Thompson, born in the 19th century, was an American transgender woman and activist. She wrote about her experiences and advocated for the rights of transgender individuals during a time when such voices were seldom heard.
Kalonymus ben Kalonymus, a medieval Jewish poet and philosopher, wrote a dialogue that includes a character expressing a gender identity at odds with their assigned sex.
Much literature regarding queer individuals has been destroyed over the years: one of the most notable periods being in the second world war. With books and literature being burned if they did not align with the views of the prevailing political power at the time, a lot of data regarding minorities has been lost.
In light of this, it stands to reason that the number of influential figures that existed in society was far higher than we can show in this list today.
It’s easy to feel as though the idea of transgender people has only emerged in more recent times, and that’s not surprising. For many people, it’s not been until the internet has exposed us to a wider audience that we’ve become aware of their existence at all. Despite this, it’s clear when we look at historical accounts that there are many instances of transgender people being an active and colourful part, of numerous societies around the world.
